ATTA News December 2014
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ATTA News December 2014 https://www.business.unsw.edu.au/about/schools/taxation-business-law/australasian-tax- teachers-association/newsletters Editor: Colin Fong, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney [email protected] ATTA website https://www.business.unsw.edu.au/about/schools/taxation-business- law/australasian-tax-teachers-association Contents 1 Presidential column 1 2 ATTA Conference 2015 2 3 Notice of Meeting: Annual General Meeting 3 4 TTPI Australian Visiting Fellow Awards program 4 5 Arrivals, departures and honours 4 6 New Zealand developments 4 7 Australian and New Zealand tax and related doctoral theses 5 8 IBFD Frans Vanistendael Award for International Tax Law 27 9 Master of Laws in international tax law scholarship 27 10 Call for papers 28 11 Tax, accounting, economics and law related meetings 29 12 ATTA members in the media 31 13 Recent publications 31 14 Quotable quotes 35 1 Presidential column As the year comes to a close there has been the usual flurry of government activity to try to clear up outstanding matters before the end of the year. The most prominent issue, getting the outstanding budget items through the Senate, could not be resolved before the Parliament rose for the year. In particular, universities are still uncertain about funding over the next budget cycle and that is not good for the sector regardless of your opinion on the issue of increased student fees. I think that, no matter where you stand on the political spectrum, we have to agree that over recent years the oppositional nature of politics in Australia has not served us well, and this is reflected in the polls. The MYEFO statement was swamped by the tragic events in Sydney earlier this week, but it is not good reading. One proposal that is buried in the fine print is that the Government will not proceed with the proposed reform to s.25-90 (that currently allows a deduction for interest paid in relation to foreign NANE income). Although the Government justifies the change on the basis of complexity, it is not a good look given the Government’s recent pronouncements that it would work to ensure that companies paid their share of tax in Australia? Although there are no significant tax changes proposed, the current program of cost cutting across the Government will continue. In particular the cutting of 138 government Agencies (which includes some that have already been abolished) could have flow on impacts. Another sleeper is that low to middle income families will lose from an extension to the freeze on Family Tax Benefits. At the same time, the MYEFO papers highlight an increase in that expense line as more families become eligible due to changes in the labour market. I was also amused by the nomination by International Tax Review of Google, Starbucks and Amazon as the World’s Most Influential Person(s) in Tax for their services in bringing BEPS 1 to the public (http://www.internationaltaxreview.com/Article/3288272/The-Global-Tax-50- 2013.html). The other announcements that were made last week relate to appointments to the Board of Taxation, which saw four new appointments including Michael Andrew from KPMG who replaces Teresa Dyson as Chair. We have also seen the appointment of Justice Geoffrey Nettle to the High Court, and Justice James Edelman to the Federal Court: both of whom have expertise in commercial and tax litigation. Closer to home, please note the important business that we will be conducting at the AGM in Adelaide on 21 January, particularly in relation to the review of the constitution. If you are unable to attend, you can provide comments to Brett Freudenburg or Brett Bondfield. A proxy voting form is also attached to this newsletter. We will also be electing the incoming executive. As we come to the end of the academic year I hope that you are all able to take some time out to spend with your families and friends, and I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas season. Helen Hodgson 2 ATTA Conference 2015 Next year’s 27th annual ATTA conference on 19 to 21 January 2015 is coming together well. Some important information is. Full Papers due: Full papers were due by 13 December 2014 to be eligible for judging for a prize. Full papers should be emailed to John Tretola as soon as possible and by no later than 5 January 2015. John’s email address is [email protected] Registration: The registration fee is now $560 inc GST which includes all 3 days of the conference, the conference welcome reception event, the conference dinner and a farewell social event. For Full Time PhD students there is a special registration fee of $350 which does not include the welcome reception event and conference dinner. To register go to: http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/law/2014/07/08/australasian-tax-teachers-associations-conference and click on the Conference Registration link. Note that there is a “Special” registration option for members of the Australian Taxation Office and the Tax Profession of $350 inc GST to attend the conference only on Tuesday 20 January and Wednesday 21 January, and which does not include conference welcome reception event or the conference dinner. We would appreciate you bringing this to the attention of any industry contacts you have. Location: The conference will be held at The University of Adelaide’s North Terrace campus in the heart of the city. The Keynote Plenary sessions will be held in The Braggs lecture theatre and other (parallel) sessions in the Ingkarni Wardli building. Keynote Plenary Speakers: The confirmed keynote speakers are: Tuesday 20 January – Justice Richard Edmonds of the Federal Court in Sydney, Second Commissioner Andrew Mills of the Australian Taxation Office, and Robert Jeremenko the Senior Tax Counsel of The Tax Institute. 2 Wednesday 21 January – Justice Anthony Besanko of the Federal Court in Adelaide, Scott Bryant Partner and Head of Legal and Tax, PricewaterhouseCoopers Adelaide (and the firm’s immediate past Managing Partner), and Professor Gordon Cooper, Adjunct Professor at the School of Taxation & Business Law at the University of NSW who will deliver the Patron’s Address. In addition, Alice McCleary, Independent Professional Company Director and a past National President of the Tax Institute will deliver a dinner speech at the conference dinner. Conference Dinner: The conference dinner will be held at the newly developed Adelaide Oval Stadium which will provide picturesque views of the “hallowed turf” of Adelaide Oval and the city. The standard of dress for the conference dinner is business/cocktail attire. Accommodation: A discounted room rate has been arranged with the Crowne Plaza Adelaide Hotel from $205 per night. The Crowne Plaza Adelaide Hotel is very close to the University of Adelaide’s North Terrace campus and the conference venue. Bookings can be made by going to: http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/law/2014/07/08/australasian-tax-teachers-associations-conference and clicking on the Crowne Plaza Hotel information link, or by contacting the hotel directly and mentioning that you are with the Australasian Tax Teachers’ Association conference to get the discounted rate. There are also other hotel options located nearby within the Adelaide CBD such as the Ibis Hotel, the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, the Mantra on Frome or the Mantra Hindmarsh Square. Conference Program: A final conference program is now available on the conference website by clicking on Event Program link. If you have any questions about the conference please contact Domenic Carbone email [email protected] or visit the conference website at: http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/law/2014/07/08/australasian-tax-teachers-associations-conference 3 Notice of Meeting: Annual General Meeting Special business will be voted upon at the Annual General Meeting of Members of Australasian Tax Teachers Association (ATTA) to be held on Wednesday 21 January 2015 at 1:45pm at The Braggs lecture theatre, Braggs Building, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005. Special business - Amend the constitution of ATTA: to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolution as a special business: ‘That the amendments to the ATTA Constitution tabled at the Annual General Meeting be passed to amend the constitution of ATTA.’ Attached are the proposed amendments to the ATTA Constitution for consideration. Also attached is the current ATTA Constitution. It is possible for members of ATTA vote at the AGM via proxy pursuant to sub-clause 14(4) of the ATTA Constitution. For such a proxy to be valid it must be (a) signed by the member granting it; (b) name the member of the Association authorised to use it and specify the meeting at which it may be exercised; and (c) be registered with the Secretary at least 24 hours before the time notified for the meeting. See pro-forma Proxy Form attached. 3 4 TTPI Australian Visiting Fellow Awards program The Tax and Transfer Policy Institute Australian Visiting Fellow Awards program will start in 2015, to fund research visits from Australian scholars to TTPI. We look forward very much to your applications and visits. Find further information on the guidelines and application form here, which is due for submission by 15 February 2015. <https://taxpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/taxpolicy-grants> We will soon announce the International Visiting Fellow awards. To receive the TTPI newsletter directly, please email [email protected] or me with any queries on [email protected] 5 Arrivals, departures and honours Congratulations to Robert Whait who has completed his PhD, The conception and promulgation of co-operative compliance in Australian taxation policy: a historical study, (to be conferred in the new year) from the University of South Australia.